Monday 19 December 1983 – At Sea Day #3
The seas
really got up during the night and we were crashing around. I was very worried
about Rab who had been feeling very cold and who woke up at about 02.00 to go
to the toilet. I was waking up every hour or so to check on her and Matt. Not
really necessary actually since the two of them slept like logs until about
06.00. Matt said he felt OK but Rab wasn’t sure so we decided to go up to the boat
deck despite the weather.
We made our
way up (by lift) and forced our way out on the leeward side dressed in our
heavy weather gear – my goodness, what conditions we faced. Even though we were
protected by the bulk of the ship there was a tremendous wind and spray from
the bow was being whipped past us. It turned out that it was a Force 9 wind so
that with the forward speed of the ship the combined wind speed was about 85
mph. It was as cold as charity – it felt about -4 C. (The ‘Force 9’ is a reference to what is known as the Beaufort Scale
which measures wind strength. Technically 9 is a “Strong Gale”. The highest grade is a 12 – Hurricane
Force.”).
We walked
the length of the deck and back again and then went to the Lido
for coffee. Well, Matt and I did but Rab was feeling bad again. I gave her
another pill and we went below to wash and change. There was no water for the
basin, although the shower still worked. The movement down in the cabin got to
Rab again so we took her up to the Queens Room and left her there while Matt
and I went in to breakfast. When we got back to her we found that Cliff (the
odious Welshman we met the first night) of all people had persuaded her to get
the injection – something I had been suggesting for days! The ships company
says it is a sure cure and Cliff said he was evidence of this.
So I took
Rab down to the hospital while Matt watched a video on Hollywood. She had a long sleep, as
prescribed by the doctor and when she woke was feeling better, although not a
hundred per cent. The captain apologised for the lousy weather this morning and
said that although it might get better during the day, there was another storm
which seemed to be building up. He also said that our ETA New York is now 20.00
– 12 hours late! – and it might get later, depending on the weather. There is
no sign of the storm abating yet, so who knows what time we will get in finally.
I’ve enjoyed the incredible experience so far – and Matt has, by and large. It
is such a pity that Rab hasn’t been well.
 |
| Not very fit! |
Matt watched
the end of the video and then stayed on for the movie quiz with the Two Johns
from the dining table. I came in half
way through and believe if they had played as a team they might have won! From
there Matt went on to play his arcade games, which have now been repaired,
while I had my caricature done. I went down to wake Rab, who felt a little
groggy but was much better despite the wind which was up to Force 9-10 now with
the sea being described as “very rough” – and they weren’t joking.
Rab had an
adequate lunch and after that we went through to the Double Down Room to find a
seat slightly more warm than the others. There is something radically wrong
with the way the cooling/heating system is working at the moment. It is
absolutely freezing in the DD Room so much so that after lunch I had to put on
my thermal long johns! The seas were still very rough and all afternoon tea cups would fly off tables with a loud crash.
We watched
the rehearsal for tomorrow night’s show which needs a good deal of work to be
done before it is any good. Bingo after that – shades of the Reina del Mar
cruise –with the snowball opening at $250 and closing, unwon, at $460. No doubt
we’ll be back there. The ETA was changed again from that given us earlier in
the day with the new time being given as 08.00 on Thursday – a full 24 hours late. So clearly the gales haven’t just
been a figment of our imagination.
We read for
a bit after Bingo then went below to to get even more warmly dressed for dinner
and the evening entertainment. Rab has taken to wearing an anorak everywhere
and to hell with elegance in favour of warmth. The dinner was good as usual
although Matt didn’t eat much. Turned out he was feeling a little queasy but
didn’t want to say so as he wanted to watch the movie – Blue Thunder – at
22.15. he did this while we watched the cabaret and the fancy dress parade –
there had been a child’s fancy dress in the afternoon. The main singer in the
cabaret was a young lady from Liverpool who was
very good and we enjoyed the show although I was nodding off from time to time.
Hyperthermia I think it was. The fancy dress was a bit disappointing with only
eleven entries and only one of those any good. I must say the entertainment is
non-stop on the ship. There is always something on and I still haven’t finished
reading my book.
We collected
Matt after the movie and off we went to bed in our bounding cabin.
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